NMSU basketball tops UTEP 86-73

Jason Groves -- Sun-News

Posted:
11/15/2013 06:00:00 PM MST

New Mexico State University fan Dakota Burrow, 18, wears an NMSU lucha libre on Friday while cheering for the Aggies as they take on the UTEP Miners at the Pan American Center. (Robin Zielinski/Sun-News)

LAS CRUCES >> New Mexico State and I-10 rival UTEP met for the 205th time on the basketball court Friday night at the Pan American Center, this time for the Aggies' 2013-14 home opener.
GAME PHOTOS

Friday's game was the 96th game between the teams in Las Cruces in a rivalry that started in 1915.

NMSU has always had a solid basketball tradition, and this year's team is no different. Aggies head coach Marvin Menzies has taken the Aggies to the NCAA Tournament three times in the past four years, including back-to-back trips after winning the Western Athletic Conference Tournament.

"The foundation is there now to really grow it to be a Top 25 program," Menzies said. "There are still things that we need to really elevate it, but I think the winning is the one thing that will continue to push that. We have good support from what we have already done."

NMSU was picked to win the WAC again this year, and the Aggies got off to a strong start last weekend with wins over Tennessee State and Hawaii in Hawaii's tournament.

Friday was the first of four rivalry games. The Aggies travel to El Paso in this year's return game on Nov.

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23. NMSU then turns its attention to in-state rival New Mexico on Dec. 4 in Las Cruces and Dec. 17 in Albuquerque.